Defenders of the Land Call Out

Indigenous Sovereignty Week 2010: Indigenous resistance and revival

Called by Defenders of the Land last year, the first Indigenous Sovereignty Week was a huge success, taking place in 2 dozen cities, towns, and communities across Canada. Building on that success, and a year that has seen continuing land-based struggles to defend Indigenous lands and rights, and growing mobilization for Indigenous rights in cities, Defenders of the Land is calling for a second Indigenous Sovereignty Week to take place in communities across Canada from November 21-27.

Communities and groups should organize their own events according to their capacity; this may mean holding Indigenous Sovereignty Week at a different time. Defenders of the Land may be able to provide materials for presentation, and may be able to make available or facilitate contact with speakers.

We have in mind that this work will reach different audiences: Indigenous people living in communities, urban Indigenous people, and non-Indigenous people living in cities and towns. Events may take place on campuses, in community centres, in schools, or other locations.

The purpose of this week is to build local relationships between groups and individuals, disseminate ideas of Indigenism, and generally, contribute to building a cross-Canada movement for Indigenous rights, self-determination, and justice that is led by Indigenous communities but with a broad base of informed support.

There will be a range of events, including speaking events, cultural or arts events, and ceremony where appropriate. Speakers will include activists and leaders of struggles, elders, Indigenous intellectuals, and supporters.

Canada's Indian policy in 2010

This year, the Canadian government has renewed an aggressive policy of assimilation of Indians. Despite all the apologies and high-minded words from elected officials over the last few years, this policy is the same Indian policy the government has pursued since the 1850s. From Tom Flanagan and the Fraser Institute, there is a push for privatization of reserve lands and conversion of Aboriginal title into fee simple on a small percentage of traditional territories. The comprehensive claims process and the regional treaty tables continue to push First Nations towards extinguishment of title using a range of carrot and stick tactics. Indigenous Peoples who fight back too hard against the assimilation agenda, like the Algonquins of Barriere Lake, are targeted for special repression.

However, Indigenous Peoples across Canada are not backing down in their demand for respect for Aboriginal title and rights. Increasingly, bands are dissatisfied with the comprehensive claims process, which results in permanent extinguishment of title in exchange for a small amount of cash and a fraction of the land rights. Communities from coast to coast are continuing to assert their rights to self-determination, and choosing to chart their own destiny, insisting on consent for resource extraction and industrial activity on their lands, and insisting on their right to choose how they will govern themselves. The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is calling for the elimination of the Indian Act and the refounding of the relationship between First Nations and Canada on a basis of Aboriginal and treaty rights.

Defenders of the Land is calling on communities across Canada to explore the themes of resistance and revival in the face of the government's assimilation agenda. We are suggesting education and exploration of the following themes:

* Understanding and exposing the government's fundamental strategy of assimilation and extinguishment, and the ways in which this is implemented: through the comprehensive claims process, through the Indian Act, and through Indian Affairs. How does Indian Affairs work to pressure, shape, and control the choices of individual Indians and First Nations? What are some practical case studies of Indian Affairs' actions? How do we expose the very colonial character of Indian Affairs to a broader public?

* Exploring alternatives to the present colonial infrastructure. Shawn Atleo has called for abolition of the Indian Act, but right wingers will also seize on this to replace the Indian Act with fee simple and assimilation policies. What is a viable, concrete alternative that respects Aboriginal and Treaty rights? These questions could be explored through the presentation of a range of concrete alternatives and concrete strategies for achieving them.

* Exposing the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement signed this past year - a deal between ENGOs and industry without involvement of First Nations on the excuse that there are "too many of them to consult". The deal has serious implications for Indigenous Title and Rights but does not even mention the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and its language on Indigenous rights is very weak.

* Understanding the importance of language and cultural renewal, and traditional governance, to Indigenous resistance and self-determination.

* What does it mean for supporters to act in solidarity? What are the dangers of people getting engaged to get something out of it for themselves? How do we recognize and talk openly about the challenges of building relationships of solidarity? What do people need to know to enter into constructive relationships of solidarity, and not impose a further burden, or their own ideological agenda, on First Nations?

We are suggesting that organizing groups may like to develop some of these themes in relation to specific communities. For example, the situation in Barriere Lake can be used as a launching point for a discussion of the Indian Act, the role of Indian Affairs, third party management, and the importance of traditional governance in resistance. Fish Lake could be used to discuss Aboriginal Title, the question of consent, and the comprehensive claims process.

Defenders of the Land maintains that political activism, culture, economy, and language should all be seen as part of the overall picture of resistance and renewal - one aspect should not be highlighted to the exclusion of the others; rather, all should be seen as integral and interrelated.
We encourage ISW organizing groups to explore issues at a range of depths, and not only to stay at the "101" level where a lot of activist education stalls, but to actually grapple with difficult and
important questions for movement building.

We encourage the leadership of First Nations in this process, both on the land, and in urbanized settings, recognizing that there are tensions and limitations. How do people in different locations relate differently to the land? How do we connect urban and land issues? How do urban and rural Indigenous people relate to non-Native communities? How can urbanized Indigenous people participate in supporting land-based struggles and in a broader movement for Indigenous rights? Some of these themes might be explored in private, Native-only or mixed workshops leading up to the week of educationals. The question of solidarity and relationship building with non-Natives could be tackled through one or two-day symposia involving Native and non-Native organizers.

If you are interested in organizing educational events in your community during this week, please contact us by email at defendersoftheland@gmail.com. We will add you to a list to cooperate on developing and organizing this event. Communities can plan their own programs according to their needs and capacities--the purpose of a joint organizing list is to share resources and coordinate speakers' itineraries for example.

You can find out more about Defenders of the Land at our website: http://www.defendersoftheland.org

Defenders of the Land is a network of First Nations in land struggle working with urbanized Indigenous people and non-Native supporters in defense of Indigenous lands and rights.